Consumers Say Brands Ask for Too Much Information

Whether you’re trying to unlock a piece of content or acquire a shopping discount online, it can be incredibly frustrating if you’re forced to first fill out a form that seems to never end.

The data provided in these forms can be useful to marketers for lead generation. But asking for too much information can turn users off from a brand.

“Forms that ask for your mother's maiden name before you can even unlock a coupon do nothing to engage, build a relationship or earn trust,” said Jonathan Lacoste, president of Jebbit. “There is no clear initial value exchange. Instead, they annoy and turn off consumers immediately.”

In a November 2018 survey by Jebbit of 1,000 US adult smartphone users, 35.9% of respondents said that asking for too much information leads them to distrust a brand. Public data scandals led 28.0% of respondents to distrust brands when providing their personal information. Those who were surveyed seem to be more bothered by being asked to provide too much information than by issues like data breaches.

“Respondents are annoyed about brands asking for too much information because they do not yet trust the brands enough to provide that information,” Lacoste said.

While users may be annoyed when directly asked for too much information, it should be noted that much of the data marketers collect is harvested without users’ direct consent. Simply browsing the web generates massive data trails that marketers can put to use.

What’s frustrating for many people is that they are often unaware of how marketers use their data after obtaining it. In a July 2018 survey by Mobile Ecosystem Forum of 6,500 smartphone users worldwide ages 17 and older, just 27% of respondents felt they had some control over how their personal data is used by mobile apps and services. An additional 36% of respondents felt they had no control over how apps use their data.